London, 6 February 2025 – The British Film Institute (BFI) has unveiled the award nominations for the highly anticipated BFI Future Film Festival 2025, set to take place from 20 February to 6 March at BFI Southbank, in cinemas across the UK, and online for global audiences. As the UK’s largest festival dedicated to young, emerging filmmakers, the event promises an exciting lineup of 54 short films that highlight fresh talent in the industry.
Supported by Netflix, this year’s BFI Future Film Festival Awards will see nominees competing in nine categories, with ten prizes totaling over £15,000, in addition to BFI Player subscriptions and mentorship opportunities from industry leaders. The Best Film, Best Director, and Best New Talent awards will be judged by an esteemed festival jury, featuring Baff Akoto, Daisy-May Hudson, Eloïse King, and Pinny Grylls. The winners will be announced at the BFI Future Film Festival Awards Ceremony on Sunday, 23 February, hosted at BFI Southbank and streamed live on the BFI YouTube channel.
Festival Highlights and Special Guests
The festival, backed by Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery’s CrewHQ, will host live screenings and events at BFI Southbank from 20 to 23 February, alongside an expanded UK-wide programme from 20 February to 6 March in collaboration with BFI Film Academy partners. Audiences will have access to events at cinemas in Cardiff, Swindon, Lewes, Bridgwater, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Derry-Londonderry, Sheffield, Swansea, and Bristol, among others.
In addition to screenings, the festival will offer Hot Spot sessions with established industry professionals, including actor and filmmaker Alice Lowe (PREVENGE, TIMESTALKER) and director Nadia Latif (THE MAN IN MY BASEMENT). Further insights will be shared by editors, producers, illustrators, wildlife filmmakers, and experts from Warner Bros Studio Leavesden’s Skills and Training Centre.
Nominees for Key Awards
Best New Talent (Supported by Sony)
Prize: Sony FX30 Camera + Mentorship + BFI Player Subscription
- BIG DEAL (Isabella Thompson, UK) – A coming-of-age comedy about friendship and growing up.
- HEAVY (Eve Grant, UK) – A teenage girl navigates an awkward conversation with her father in a supermarket.
- REQUIEM (Holly Sharman, UK) – A pregnant woman contemplates bringing a child into an uncertain world.
- THE HIGHLANDS (Oskar Chu, UK) – A poetic journey through the raw beauty of Scotland.
Best Director (Supported by Sony)
Prize: £1,500 + Mentorship + BFI Player Subscription
- CHECK PLEASE (Shane Chung, USA) – A darkly comedic battle over who pays the dinner bill.
- LAST NIGHT IN IRL (Ola Adediji, UK) – A young woman hides behind a high-tech digital filter.
- MORPHES (Konstantinos Doxiadis, Greece) – A surreal nighttime adventure in the forest.
- WE’RE NOT IN ESSEX ANYMORE (Grac Talbot, UK) – A mixed-media homage to THE WIZARD OF OZ.
Best Film (Supported by Uggla Family Foundation)
Prize: £1,500 + Mentorship + BFI Player Subscription
- A NATURAL SADDEST (Sobae Kim, Korea) – A love story complicated by an unusual pearl-selling business.
- EVERYTHING LOOKS SIMPLE FROM A DISTANCE (Conor Toner, Ireland) – A young boy dreams of escaping to the moon amid Northern Ireland’s tensions.
- RED LACE (Andrea Adame & Paula Trejo Espada, Spain) – A sinister initiation ritual in a mysterious bakery.
- WE’RE NOT IN ESSEX ANYMORE (Grac Talbot, UK) – A second nomination for this London-based coming-of-age journey.
Expanding Access and Industry Insights
This year’s international reach is reflected in the Best International Film category, featuring nominees from Korea, Iran, Pakistan, the USA, Australia, and more. Additionally, the festival’s Best Animation, Best Documentary, and Best Experimental Film categories will showcase emerging talents pushing creative boundaries.
For audiences worldwide, the festival’s online programme will feature free screenings of all 54 short films on the BFI YouTube channel, accessible from 20 February to 6 March.
Tickets for in-person events at BFI Southbank are available now for £7 per session, with the full festival programme and schedule accessible at BFI’s official website.
With an exciting mix of new voices, international perspectives, and innovative storytelling, the BFI Future Film Festival 2025 is set to celebrate and support the next generation of filmmakers.